Former judge Jeanine Pirro says that Roe. v. Wade is probably safe in the hands of Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump’s pick to replace Anthony Kennedy on the U.S. Supreme Court.
“You follow precedent and if Roe v. Wade is the law of the land — I suspect that he will follow precedent,” the Fox News host told TheWrap on Tuesday. “I don’t expect any big changes.”
“I have no way of knowing” how Kavanaugh would actually rule on cases if he wins Senate confirmation, she quickly hedged. “But based upon what I know of Kavanaugh’s commentary, it doesn’t appear that he is kind of guy who wants to overturn precedent.”
Pirro said she had originally been a fan of Amy Coney Barrett, a circuit judge in the U.S. Court of Appeals who was appointed to the federal bench just last year by Trump and briefly mentioned to be on his short list to fill the vacancy left last month by Kennedy.
“I like the idea of a conservative woman on the Supreme Court,” Pirro said. “I think there is room for that in the future.”
Despite speculation that she might have been a candidate for the nation’s highest court, Pirro assiduously denied any interest in the job and refused to consider any hypothetical questions on the matter.
Pirro is one of Trump’s oldest friends and has maintained a chummy relationship with him for decades. The billionaire real estate mogul turned reality TV star is known to be a regular viewer of her Saturday night show on Fox News and the two remain in close contact.
“We speak often,” said Pirro, declining to provide any specifics.
The former district attorney in New York’s suburban Westchester County has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Her fiery monologues on Fox News denouncing Rod Rosenstein, James Comey and the Mueller probe routinely race around the internet each weekend.
This month she’s releasing a book-length condemnation of the Mueller investigation, “Liars, Leakers, and Liberals: The Case Against the Anti-Trump Conspiracy” that already boasts a blurb from the president on Amazon: “Fantastic. Go get it!”
“We’re seeing the FBI and DOJ being used in a way that is not just disappointing but an affront to anyone who believes in law and order and truth and justice,” she said.
The Evolution of Roger Ailes, From 'The Mike Douglas Show' to Fox News Innovator (Photos)
The television executive has evolved from producing a talk-variety show to running one of the biggest satellite news television channel in the U.S.
Fox News
Born and raised in Ohio, Roger Ailes attended Ohio University as a young man, majoring in radio and television. During his time there, he served as station manager for the university's WOUB radio for two years.
Ohio University
Ailes worked his way up to executive producer on the syndicated daytime talk show "The Mike Douglas Show," which began as a local program in Cleveland before expanding nationwide.
Westinghouse Broadcasting Company
In 1968, Ailes got an Emmy nod when "The Mike Douglas Show" was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Daytime Programming, ultimately losing to NBC's "Today" show.
After first meeting Richard Nixon on the set of "The Mike Douglas Show," Ailes was hired by the then-presidential candidate to be his media advisor during the campaign, which marked his first professional foray into politics.
Ailes continued consulting on presidential campaigns, serving as media consultant for three successful Republicans: Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
Ailes produced the famous "revolving door" ad for Bush, which painted Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis as soft on crime. The piece was widely regarded as the most influential ad of the political cycle.
In 1988, Ailes co-authored a self-help book with Jon Kraushar. "You Are the Message" shared Ailes' tips for effective communication and public performances.
Simon and Schuster
In 1992, Ailes served as executive producer on a syndicated late-night talk show hosted by right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh, which ran for four years before coming to an end in 1996.
Ailes Productions
Ailes was named president of CNBC in 1993, where he launched the new cable network America's Talking, which was shut down and replaced with future Fox News competitor MSNBC.
America's Talking
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch hired Ailes to serve as founding CEO and Chariman of the Fox News Channel in 1996, which soon grew to become the most popular cable news network in the country.
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In 2016, Ailes was accused of sexual harassment by ousted Fox News host Gretchen Carlson. In July, Carlson filed a lawsuit against Ailes, claiming years of inappropriate behavior and sexual advances.
Getty Images
On July 20, 2016, Ailes was forced to resign from Fox News amid the growing outcry over the sexual harassment allegations.
Getty Images
Ailes died on May 18, 2017 at age 77.
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Roger Ailes, who died Thursday at age 77, began as a producer on a daytime show and went on to become a willy successful cable news network boss
The television executive has evolved from producing a talk-variety show to running one of the biggest satellite news television channel in the U.S.